Guwahati: The Meghalaya government has instructed the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) to immediately remove the seals placed at the Lower Terminal Point of the Shillong Peak Ropeway Project in Madan Laban, revoke the seizure of project materials and return all items taken into custody.
It has warned that failure to comply would prompt it to pursue legal measures to clear the obstruction and secure the project site.
In a letter sent to the Secretary of the KHADC Executive Committee on Friday, the Tourism Department said the council’s Enforcement Wing had sealed the project premises on October 27 and forced the staff working there to leave.
The letter detailed how KHADC Enforcement Wing officials, led by Inspector Kordor Synrem, entered the Lower Terminal Point between 10:30 am and noon on October 27.
They allegedly removed project staff, locked the site office doors, placed cloth seals on them, prepared seizure lists and obtained Zima-namas, or custody undertakings, from site managers representing the executing agency, KEC-TCL (JV).
The department said the KHADC had taken the action under Section 7A of the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Trading by Non-Tribals) Regulation, 1954, citing an alleged violation of Section 3.
The state government maintained that the ropeway is a public infrastructure project and that the Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority has been designated as its nodal agency under the Meghalaya Ropeway Act, 2022.
It also said the project had received forest clearance. According to the letter, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granted final Stage-II approval on October 24, 2024, for the diversion of 2.3257 hectares of forest land in Riat Laban Reserve Forest and Riat Laban Forest for the project.
The Tourism Department said KEC-TCL (JV) was carrying out the work under the authority of the project promoter.
On the issue of the trading licence, the government said the contractor had applied for one before the present dispute arose. KEC-TCL (JV), engaged by the Tourism Department to execute the project, submitted its application on May 18, 2026, after obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun.
However, the KHADC has yet to decide on the application, the letter said.
The government maintained that the work carried out so far falls under preparatory activities and does not constitute trading.
Citing Section 30(2) of the Meghalaya Ropeway Act, 2022, the department said the provision allows the project promoter to undertake preliminary activities, including the tendering process and appointment of contractors.
It also requires a licence under the section before construction begins. The government argued that a trading licence was not required at this stage because the activities undertaken so far were preparatory and did not amount to trade.
The letter also said the land where these activities were being carried out belonged to the state government.
The department has asked the KHADC to revoke the seizure and Zima-namas, return all items taken into custody and provide written confirmation that it will not take further action against the state government, the Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority or the executing agency.
It warned that failure to comply would leave the government with no option but to pursue legal measures through the competent authorities to remove the obstruction and secure the project site.
The council would also be held responsible for any resulting consequences, including expenses and project delays, the letter said.
The letter was signed by the Tourism Department’s Joint Secretary and issued with the approval of the competent authority and the Law Department.
It also clarified that the directions did not affect any of the government’s legal rights, including those arising from the FIR registered at Laban Police Station on October 27.